


Turning of the Tide: Thursday Night

by TabithaJean



Series: Turning of the Tide [1]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Early Partnership, Early Work, Episode: s01e15 Lazarus, pre-UST, still figuring it all out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:07:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24301843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TabithaJean/pseuds/TabithaJean
Summary: Mulder accompanies Scully to the hospital after her ordeal in Lazarus. He considers her place in his life and in their work, trying to work out whether he can trust her.
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Series: Turning of the Tide [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757398
Kudos: 33





	Turning of the Tide: Thursday Night

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired from the chat during @Whats-a-Mulder's European re-watch on Tumblr! We wanted to know what happens next. I'd like to do a follow up piece from Scully's perspective, but I want to work on my characterisation of Mulder (as he doesn't come as naturally to me).

She sleeps almost as soon as the doctor leaves, head shuffling against the plastic hospital pillow, the cotton blanket pulled taut over her stomach. Her blinks grow heavier and she rolls her head towards him. He reaches for her arm, rubbing his thumbs against her forearm. She is fragile without her suit jacket, wrists angry and grazed from the handcuffs.

‘I’m so tired,’ she slurs as her fingers raise to find his.

‘Close your eyes, Scully,’ he pulls his chair towards the bed. ‘It’s ok. I’ll wake you if the doctor returns.’

She nods. Soon her neck loosens, her chin dipping towards her shoulder. She twitches, her hand jumping in his. He reclines her bed and sits back. At the Du Pre house, she had kept her gaze on Willis’ body as they lifted him onto a gurney and wheeled him away, her bottom lip pursed to button in whatever she was feeling. He’d brought her to the hospital on the advice of the EMTs, and against her wishes, to confirm whether she had a concussion after Willis and Philipps knocked her out as they took her.

The sharp sound of the curtain being pulled back cuts through the background drone of the hospital.

‘How is she?’ the doctor asks.

‘She seems alright. She went to sleep about 30 minutes ago.’ Mulder stands. ‘Is this ok? Given the risk of concussion?’

‘It’s fine. Her body has been flooded with adrenaline for a long time, and now the threat is gone, she can finally relax. She’s fatigued, both mentally and physically, so this is really good for her.’

‘Ok. And everything else…’

‘Everything else is fine. She doesn’t have a concussion, but she is dehydrated. She doesn’t need to stay here though. Let’s give her an hour to sleep and then I can discharge her.’

Mulder is left in the cocoon with Scully. Her face reminds him of a Victorian death mask, blank in sleep. He shivers at the association and feels like this is too intimate. He wonders if she will regret his presence here in a week, a month, or if they’ll look back on this as a moment when the tide changed in their partnership, an important step further towards alignment.

To his chagrin, he enjoys working with her. He is thrilled to have a sparring partner, and to have someone there who asks him what he’s having for lunch. It’s like having a sister again: someone smaller who always, _always_ challenges whatever he tries to do. She brings neutrality, integrity and determination to every case, and he finds that his own theories are more robust with her acting as his very own litmus test. He can tell he charms her. She smirks at his theories, scoffs at his jokes, but takes the bait every single time, following him wherever his hunch takes him.

Her father died and Mulder got a glimpse at the character behind the Special Agent. The daughter missing her dad, the professional who has finally found her vocation. Her admission that she loves her job surprised him, but he sees it in her commitment to every case. He can’t quite forget - nor does he want to – that each case closes with a report submitted Blevins, distorting their partnership into some weird power triangle. He thinks of it when he sees her smile, he thinks of it when she puts forward a more grounded scientific theory. The chance of betrayal, or abandonment, is ever-present with her, and he can’t risk giving her too much in case she takes it away, along with everything he’s working for.

The fear in her voice on the phone yesterday killed all these thoughts.

Now she’s safe, Mulder realises that he won’t be the one to ask her to leave the X-Files. He doesn’t think of her reports as he sits by her hospital bed. He remembers the times when she’s chosen their work over any alternatives proffered. She still carries significant risk, but he decides she’s worth it. _She_ is worth risking his work, and though his trust is small, it is there, a young sapling which just needs nurturing. Beside him, Scully snores.

Time melts with the banality of the wait. The hospital bustle provides a comforting soundtrack: heart monitors, rubber soles on linoleum, the lyrical lilt of medical jargon. His backside grows numb. He fidgets in the chair. Eventually the doctor returns and hands him her discharge papers, with instructions to drink regularly and eat some food.

Mulder isn’t sure how to wake her. He doesn’t know her well enough to be here while she’s recovering and vulnerable, to be the one to drive her home. Despite his earlier conclusion, it’s easy to believe while she’s asleep that he’s just imagined their connection. He wishes he’d ignored her and called her mother.

He strokes the side of her cheek gently. She startles, her body stiffening and her hands clutching the blanket.

‘Did you hear that gun shot?’ she asks as she wakes, her eyes roaming until they settle on his. ‘I thought there was a gun shot.’

Mulder shakes his head. ‘No… no gunshot, Scully. But we can get out of here now.’

She is stiff after being chained to the radiator all night, and he helps her to stand. They stop at a fast food drive through on the way home. He sees her into her apartment, checking her windows are locked and that she has water by her bed. He stands awkwardly in the middle of the living room.

‘Thank you for all you’ve done today,’ Scully says formally, wrapping her arms around her waist. ‘I really appreciate it.’

‘Scully….’ Mulder searches for the appropriate words. ‘I’m glad you’re ok. Really glad.’

She gives him a small smile. ‘Me too. I was scared there for a while. It was…. Anyway, I’m _really_ glad you didn’t call my mother. I thought you would.’

‘I almost did,’ he admitted. ‘But the wrath of Mrs Scully on top of everything else did _not_ appeal. Especially not for the first time we meet.’

‘I know, right?’ Mulder smiled at her turn of phrase.

‘Will you be ok tonight?’

Scully nods. ‘I think so.’

‘Are you sure? Do you want me to stay?’

‘No, no don’t worry. I’ll be fine tonight. I’ll call my sister tomorrow and she can stay the weekend. I’ll be at work.’

‘Ok. But you should take some more time if you need it.’

‘Thank you, Mulder.’

He doesn’t want to leave but realises he’s intruding. He keeps her standing to attention when she should be at ease. ‘Well, I’ll see you Monday.’

‘See you Monday.’ She walks him to the door.

‘Call me if you need anything.’

‘I’ll be fine.’ She smiles again and closes the door on him. He waits a minute, listening to the locks turning. He pictures her walking to her room to get ready for bed. He hopes she feels safe, hopes she’s not scared. He doesn’t know how to make sure.


End file.
